Improvement in bracelets



UNITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

JAMES WILKINSON, OF -WEST MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRACELETS,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,096, dated July 30, 1872.

To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES WILKINSON, of West Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bracelets 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which drawing- Figure lis a vertical section of my improved bracelet. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in a bracelet whose bandis connectedto the center piece, by means of a yielding or adjustable hinge or hinges, in such a manner that the band can not only be turned open to receive the wrist, but that the hinge can expand to accommodate itself to arms of different sizes.

In the example of my invention here shown, the letter A designates the band of a bracelet, and B the center piece, to which the ends of the band are hinged. The band A is made in two parts, a b, the free or outer ends of which are fastened .to each other, when the bracelet is to be closed, by a button, c, on one of the ends, vwhich enters into a pear-shaped slot, d, made in the other of the ends. But any other suitable fastening beside this can be used to close the bracelet and fasten its ends to each.- other. The inner ends of the band are hinged to the center piece by means of a yielding, or elastic cord or connection, e, so applied and arranged that the band or its divisions abcan not only open apart when the end fastenings are disconnected by being turned on its hinge or hinges, but the band itself be distended or expanded by the stretching or yielding of the hinge, whereby I am able to produce a bracelet with a stiff band, and which is yet expansible and adjustable. The inside surface of the center piece B is provided with acentral ledge, f, against which the hinged ends of the band rest, and with which they are flush. The center piece itself extends outward on each side of the ledge, as at gg, forming a support for the hinged ends of the band, and overlapping them on each side so as to conceal their hinged connections. The elastic cord e, which in this illustration forms the hinge, is passed horizontally through the ledge f, and is connected with the ends of both divisions a b of the band in such a manner that both of said parts can turn on the center piece and be pushed outward to expand the band, at pleasure. The ledge is perforated with two passages, h h, to receive the hingecord, and the adjacent ends of the band have two corresponding passages, h h, which converge and meet at an intersecting opening, t', made from the inner surface of the band; the passages are thus connected with each other, and the cord being inserted from one side is returned to the place of beginning and tied, as seen at i, thus forming a cheap and simple yielding hinge-connection.

I do not restrict myself to the method nor the material here shown for producing the expansible hinge-connection of the band, as the same result substantially can be produced in other equivalent Ways without departing from my invention--as, for example, the parts a b of the band can be hinged independently of each other to the center piece, or they can be hinged one upon the other, or one of them can be hinged by inexpansible material, and the other by material which is elastic and allows the hinge to be stretched.

It will be observed that by means of myimprovement the band can adjust itself automatically on the wrist ofthe wearer, and the fastening at the outer ends is relieved from undue strain by reason of the expansibility of the hinge.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the band of a bracelet, of an expansible hinge-connection, so that the band can be opened and also expanded by the stretching of the hinge, substantially as described.

JAMES WILKINSON.

Witnesses E. F. KASTENHUBER, CHARLES WAIILE'RS. 

